Grace Extended and Kept: Being kind to Ourselves as Well as Others
Ever since I can remember, it has been easy for me to be kind to others, programmed into me almost from birth. I was taught as a child to try to be empathetic and understanding, almost to a fault at times. While I recognize the value in extending grace and empathy to those around me, I’ve come to realize that being kind to myself is equally important — a lesson that has been harder to learn. To be honest, there are times I wish I had less grace for some people, gave people fewer chances or less benefit of the doubt, but we are, for better or worse, what we are.
However, while I was taught to be kind to others, I was simultaneously raised to be hard on myself. As a female on the autism spectrum, I was led to believe that my very existence might be a burden to those I care about — a notion that, while nonsensical, has proven difficult to shake. Despite time and distance from those who instilled these doubts and planted seeds of worthlessness, the struggle remains.
Despite these struggles, I recognize that my logical and analytical nature, courtesy of HFA, has been a valuable asset in my life. Furthermore, I believe that neither my gender nor…
